This online calendar of events emphasizes educational, archaeological, preservation, and history related programs throughout the year across South Dakota. Green entries denote activities at the Cultural Heritage Center in Pierre. Blue entries denote off-site activities sponsored by the SD State Historical Society and/or the Heritage Fund. If you would like to submit an event to be included on the calendar, please complete and submit the following form: Events form, PDF or Events form, Word.

January 2011

Event: SD State Archives Open
Description: The State Archives is open every 1st Saturday of the month. Staff will be available to assist with research. The State Archives manages a collection of photographs, films, maps, books, newspapers, state and county records, as well as personal and organizational records.
Location:  Cultural Heritage Center, 900 Governors Dr., Pierre
Date/Time: January 8, 2011; 9 a.m to 4:30 p.m. CT
Admission:  Free
Sponsor: South Dakota State Historical Society
Contact: Archives (e-mail or web), 605-773-3804

Event: Free admittance to the Museum of the SD State Historical Society
Description: Admittance to the museum is free the 1st Sunday of the month. The Museum has 15,000 square feet of exhibition space with exhibits divided into five galleries.
Location: Cultural Heritage Center, 900 Governors Dr., Pierre
Date/Time: January 9, 2011; 1- 4:30 p.m. CT
Admission:  Free
Sponsor: South Dakota State Historical Society
Contact: 605-773-3458

Event: The Children's Blizzard by David Laskin - History & Heritage Book Club
Description: Guest speaker via phone will be Jay Trobec, KELOLAND TV Chief Meteorologist. In 1888, a sudden, violent blizzard swept across the American plains, killing hundreds of people, many of them children on their way home from school. Drawing on family interviews and memoirs, as well as hundreds of contemporary accounts, David Laskin creates an intimate picture of the men, women, and children who made choices they would regret as long as they lived. Here too is a meticulous account of the evolution of the storm and the vain struggle of government forecasters to track its progress.
Location:  Capital University Center, 925 E. Sioux Ave., Pierre
Date/Time: January 11, 2011; 7 p.m. CT
Admission: Free
Sponsor: South Dakota State Historical Society & the South Dakota Heritage Fund
Contact: Dorinda Daniel 605-773-6006, dorinda.daniel@state.sd.us
Additional Comments: The History & Heritage Book Club is open to everyone. People who want to join the discussion by telephone are welcome to do so by making arrangements in advance with Dorinda (see above).

Event: Nuggets to Neutrinos - Preservation Thursday
Description: Steve Mitchell will discuss the legacy of the Homestake Mine. The Homestake legacy unfolded with the discovery of placer gold in Deadwood Gulch in August 1875 and the discovery of the mother lode in April 1876. This began the development of Homestake Mining Company's flagship mine that produced forty million ounces of gold prior to its closure in 2001. Today, the 8,000-foot-deep mine is being converted into a deep underground science and engineering laboratory where scientists will conduct research on dark matter, astrophysics, double beta decay and solar neutrinos. The public is encouraged to attend.
Location: Deadwood City Hall, 102 Sherman St., Deadwood
Date/Time: January 13, 2011; Noon MT
Admission: Donations welcomed
Sponsor: Deadwood Historic Preservation Commission; Adam-Mastrovich Family Foundation, Mary Adams Balmat; Rapid City Journal; Black Hills Pioneer; Celebrity Hotel; Chubby Chipmunk Hand-Dipped Chocolates; The Historic Bullock Hotel; Saloon No. 10; TDG Communications
Contact: Adams Museum (e-mail or web), 605-578-1928

Event: What's New? A Potpourri of Minnesota Archeology - Third Sunday Archeology Presentation Series
Speaker: Bruce A. Koenen, Research Archeologist, Office of the State Archaeologist of Minnesota
Description: An overview of recent prehistoric and historic archeological projects that have been undertaken in rural and urban settings in Minnesota will be presented. The program wil address specific archeological sites in Miinnesota and will also provide an insider's view of the workings of the Office of the State Archaeologist.
Location: Augustana College, Gilbert Science Center Auditorium, 33rd & Summit Ave., Sioux Falls
Date/Time: January 16, 2011, 2 p.m. CT
Admission: free
Sponsor: Augustana College Archeology Lab and Sioux Falls Chapter of the SD Archaeological Society
Contact: Lynette Rossum (e-mail), 605-274-5493

Event: SD Heritage Fund Fundraiser
Description: Let someone else cook tonight! Eat at Arby's in Pierre and a portion of the proceeds go to the South Dakota Heritage Fund
Location:  Arby's, 319 W. Sioux Ave., Pierre
Date/Time: January 18, 2011; 5-8 p.m. CT
Admission: Free
Sponsor: South Dakota Heritage Fund & Arby's
Contact: Heritage Fund 605-773-3458

Event: Building Materials - Preservation Wednesday
Description: Jim Wilson will give a presentation entitled "Building Materials: Evolution and Change Over Time". The public is encouraged to attend.
Location: Vermillion Public Library, 18 Church St., Vermillion
Date/Time: January 19, 2011; 7 p.m. CT
Admission: Free
Sponsor: Clay County Historic Preservation Commission
Contact: Jim Wilson (e-mail or web), 605-624-4579
Additional Comments: This informative and entertaining series of presentations of popular and obscure facets of local history and historic preservation in general is held every 3rd Wednesday of the month, September through May.

Event: SD Historic Preservation Advocacy Day
Description: Join historic preservation advocates from across South Dakota, meet local legislators, and share stories of saving places in your community. Your voice and presence can truly make a difference for the future of historic preservation in South Dakota.
Date: January 20, 2011
Sponsor: Preserve South Dakota, Black Hills Preservation Trust, National Trust for Historic Preservation
Contact: Preserve South Dakota at 605-583-4509

Event: The Legacy of E.A. Sherman - Minnehaha County Historical Society monthly meeting
Description: Larry Weires, retired city park employee & unofficial park historican, will present the program on E.A. Sherman, father of Sioux Falls parks. Sherman spent his entire life working to get a system of parks for the city. In 1910 her donated 52 acres to the city which became Sherman Park.This free program is open to the public. Bring a friend.
Location: Old Courthouse Museum, 200 W. 6th St., Sioux Falls
Date/Time: January 20, 2011; 7 p.m. CT
Admission: Free
Sponsor: Minnehaha County Historical Society
Contact: Jim Carlson, 605-366-8403

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